Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

Presented in Association with theWestern New Mexico University Department
of Natural Sciences

Family: Fabaceae

Status: Exotic

Synonyms:Poinciana gilliesii Wallich ex Hooker

Caesalpinia gilliesii is an exotic (originally from Argentina according to Martin & Hutchins) which is now established on its own mainly around Silver City and
dwellings in the area. It has yet to successfully establish populations in the wilderness. The flowers
are gaudy yellow with exerted red stamens. It is a woody shrub and does well in dry ground. Most of the seeds are forcibly ejected from the pod when it bursts open. The stems are glandular (the glands are purple brown against a yellow orange stem in the winter.) There appear to be two winter bud scales which partially cover the pedicellate bud (which looks like a mushroom) and are fringed with broad triangular shaped hairs.
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